The Farm Business Analysis Assistance is helping producers move forward with confidence in their rural enterprise. With access to free and independent advice, they're helping producers put plans on paper and focus on their future.

The objective of the program is to provide assistance to primary production enterprises experiencing financial difficulties by a report setting out recommendations to assist them determine the future direction of their business.

The program provides primary producers with free access to an independent financial specialist who will: 

• liaise with the applicant on farm and engage with the applicant's advisors and financiers;
• undertake an impartial review of the primary producers' enterprise, operation and financial position; and
• provide a report identifying the key issues and setting out realistic recommendations aimed at resolving the issues facing the enterprise.

Examples of outcomes that may be provided in a farm business analysis report include strategies to address enterprise viability, debt structure options and provision of a forward cashflow supported by analysis of the underlying operation.

To be considered for this assistance applicants should:

• be a primary producer experiencing financial difficulties
• have owned and operated their primary production enterprise for at least three (3) years 
• have existing farm term debt in relation to their primary production enterprise
• demonstrate a need for the assistance. This may mean:
  • the applicant could benefit substantially from options provided in a farm business analysis
  • a farm business analysis could be critical to the continuation of the primary production enterprise 
  • the applicant does not have the financial or other resources to access a similar professional service
  • the applicant does not have non-farm or liquid assets more than the amount needed for prudent risk management 
    
• not be under administration or subject to recovery actions

Primary producer means: 

• a sole trader who spends the majority of his or her labour on, and derives the majority of his or her income from a primary production enterprise; or
• in relation to a partnership, proprietary company or trust that carries on a primary production enterprise, any partner in the partnership, shareholder in the company or beneficiary of the trust who spends most of their labour on, and derives the majority of their income from the primary production enterprise.

Primary production enterprise means a business that:

• is carried on by a sole trader, trust, partnership or proprietary company; and
• involves primary production, including the agricultural, apicultural, aquacultural, commercial wild-catch fishing, forestry, grazing and horticultural industries; and
• holds an Australian Business Number (ABN).

• Phone: 1800 623 946
• Email: contact_fdro@qrida.qld.gov.au